Angry: Channing Smythe, the mother of Devon Still's four-year-old daughter, Leah, has claimed that he hasn't paid child support to her in months

The NFL star whose daughter's battle with cancer is the league's feel-good story of the season has not paid child support in months, the girl's mother claims.

Devon Still, who plays defensive tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals, has not paid any child support for his four-year-old daughter Leah since July, according to her mother Channing Smythe.

The row threatens to overshadow what has been one of the few touching stories in a sport riddled with controversy, including allegations it was soft on domestic violence, encouraged drug use and covered up risks to players.

Ms Smythe's attorney, Gloria Allred, has delivered a letter to the NFL asking it to investigate if Still has violated its Personal Conduct Policy by failing to pay child support, the New York Daily News reports.

In a statement in the letter, Mr Smythe said: 'I don’t think it is fair that Devon Still, who is Leah’s father, has refused to pay any child support for her for the months of August, September, October and November of this year.'

Leah was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma in June and given a 50 per cent chance of survival. She has since endured surgery to remove a tumour, five rounds of chemotherapy, one round of radiotherapy and, most recently, stem cell treatment to restore bone marrow.

Much has been reported of Still's travels from Cincinnati to Delaware to be with his his daughter each time goes in for treatment, but Ms Smythe said she has been unable to work at all because Leah needs full-time care.

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In the letter she claimed they would be homeless if a friend of her mother hadn't taken them in, and added that she had to accept food stamps between July and October to feed herself and her sick child.

Ms Smythe said she has been forced to borrow cars from friends and relatives to take Leah to Children's Hospital in Philadelphia, since the child's low immune system means its dangerous for her to be out in public.

Although Still's contract with the Bengals apparently provides insurance cover for 100 per cent of Leah's medical expenses, Ms Smythe claims she has an outstanding medical bill for an ambulance she has been unable to pay.

A father's love: Devon Still, 25, with his daughter Leah who is being treated for Stage 4 neuroblastoma and has been given a 50-50 chance of survival. He travels to be with her every week

Still's agent, a spokesman for the Bengals and an NFL spokesman did not respond to requests for comment when contacted by New York Daily News reporter Michael o'Keefe.

Leah was the star of the show when the Bengals played the New England Patriots last month and the home team's cheerleaders paid tribute to the girl.

Instead of their normal red, white and blue outfits, the Patriots' cheerleaders donned Still's Bengals jersey, a tribute which reduced the 25-year-old defensive tackle to tears on the field.

Showing support: The New England Patriots' cheerleaders wear the jerseys of Cincinnati Bengals player Devon Still as a tribute to his daughter Leah who is battling stage 4 cancer

#LeahStrong: The moving tribute by the Patriots' cheerleaders to his daughter reduced Stills to tears

Still has not been able to devote himself fully to football since Leah's diagnosis.

Initially missing out on Cincinnati's 53-man roster so he could be by his daughter's side, Still was then offered a spot on the practice squad, ensuring Leah would be covered under the team's health insurance policy.

He went public with his daughter's cancer diagnosis 'not for sympathy,' he wrote on Instagram, but 'because I've come to the point where I no longer [am] feeling sorry but [want] to ask that y'all keep my daughter in your prayers...

'The more prayers that go up, the more faith we [have] that she will overcome this obstacle,' he wrote.

'if y'all know me y'all know this girl is my world...I know that she is strong and she won't let anything hold her down without a fight.'

Fighting: Still posted a video of himself giving Leah a peptalk ahead of major surgery, which then went viral

Charity works: The Cincinnati Bengals have been donating the proceedings from the sales of Still's jersey to cancer research and the hospital where Leah is receiving treatment

Still has set up a donation program encouraging people to pledge money for every sack the Bengals' defense gets this season in an effort to help raise money and awareness about pediatric cancer.

'Kids always look up to their parents, but in just a matter of a week that all reversed for me,' Still wrote on the campaign page

'I can honestly say I truly look up to my daughter now. In the four years of life she has had, she has been through way more than I have in 24. Her courage, strength, and high spirits through it all is nothing short of inspirational.

In September, Still posted a video which went viral of him giving Leah a pep talk before she went into a seven-hour surgery to remove a cancerous tumour.

The Cincinnati Bengals announced last month that they would donate 100 per cent of the proceeds from sales of Still’s No 75 jersey in support for cancer research and the Cincinnati Children's Hospital.